7 10 23 Curragh Illinois and Seamie Heffernan win the Shoda Market Cafe Irish EBF Maiden© Photo Healy Racing
From Ireland to the UK and France, top turf courses across the world will host Flat racing’s superstars this weekend. Mouthwatering clashes are offered up in abundance as we head into the final throes of the Flat season.
Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown and the Curragh serves up Group 1 racing to savour, including the Irish Champion Stakes, the Irish St Leger and the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Aidan O’Brien saddles three runners in the final Classic of the season in the UK, the St Leger, which takes place on Town Moor in Doncaster on Saturday. Illinois currently heads the betting as O’Brien attempts to land his eight victory in the world’s oldest classic.
Ballydoyle’s Opera Singer and Jessie Harrington’s Sea The Boss head to the Group 1 Prix Vermeille in France to top off a fine weekend of action.
Galway Hurdle winner Nurburgring is unexposed over this sort of trip and could be very well-treated off a flat rating of 90. The four-year-old is now rated 60 lbs higher over hurdles and if he translates that ability back to the level he will be difficult to beat.
I’ve been impressed with Red Letter on both her starts over today’s course and distance and would be reasonably confident that she can reverse her debut form with Lake Victoria which could be enough to secure the win. Bedtime Story sets the standard the others have to aim at here, but she wasn’t particularly impressive in the Debutante Stakes last time and her form has possibly flattened out.
Aidan O’Brien’s progressive stayer has thrived on a relatively busy time this summer (five runs since returning in April), posting a cracking effort last time out when second to Los Angeles in the Great Voltiguer at York. The return to 1m6f and the long Doncaster straight on decent ground should be ideal, and he remains open to plenty more improvement after seven career starts.
Marco Botti’s progressive handicapper posted a career best effort when fourth in a huge field for the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot in June, and he has been kept fresh for this valuable heritage handicap by his astute connections. Jack Mitchell is sure to ride a patient race in this big field, and the galloping nature of this flat track should give him plenty of time to navigate a clean run through late on.
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